MCA on PSD scholarship debacle: Uphold meritocracy when reviewing selection criteria

MCA is disappointed with calls by a Malay NGO which hurled criticisms against our party’s President Dato’ Sri Ong Tee Keat’s statement which suggested that the government will review the selection criteria of Public Service Department scholarship awards.

When Malaysians who achieve straight-A results and are active in co-curricular activities but are denied scholarships despite fulfilling more than the minimum criteria, they become disillusioned that their hard work and efforts were in vain. By rewarding less-qualified students with scholarships to study overseas, hardworking performing students are given a wrong message that ethnicity may have been the overall deciding factor in determining the distribution of PSD scholarships.

In pursuit of the 1-Malaysia concept as mooted by the Prime Minister Dato’ Sri Najib bin Tun Abdul Razak which speaks of treating all Malaysians equally irrespective of race, priority for the PSD scholarships must be offered based on meritocracy, and more so for students from underprivileged backgrounds who had achieved academic excellence. It is paramount that meritocracy be always upheld when bestowing scholarship so as to harness productive Malaysians who will always aspire to aim higher and be progressive.

It was a cabinet decision that the selection criteria be based on meritocracy (20%), Bumiputera and non-Bumiputeras SPM holders (60%), Sabah and Sarawak Bumiputera SPM holders and disabled students who excelled in their studies (20%). Reviewing the PSD selection is not a zero sum game. The review does not affect nor impede Bumiputeras in any way.

Moreover, Bumiputera students have access to other forms of scholarships and loans like those awarded by Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA) which majority of non-Bumiputera students do not. In fact, 90 percent of student intake to pursue Matriculations courses conducted by MARA consists of Bumiputeras. Apart from enrolments accepted into Universiti Institut Teknologi MARA which consists overwhelmingly of Bumiputeras, many benefactors of MARA scholarship and loans are also sent abroad for tertiary education – an opportunity which most non-Bumiputeras do not enjoy.

MCA is disappointed by accusations from a certain Malay NGO that the government had “banyak bertolak ansur” (compromised many times) with the Chinese, Indians and others. We regret the statement by the chairman of the said Malay NGO who warned that they too would “mula turun ke jalan raya” (take to the streets) as such remarks are seditious and stirs race-hate. His statement served no purpose in bridging stained race relations nor propelling Malaysians to aspire for academic excellence through personal effort.

土著学生拥有其它奖贷学金机会，马来组织挑起种族情绪

马华中央党部发言人李伟杰对大马土著权威组织（PERKASA）主席拿督依不拉欣阿里抨击马华总会长拿督斯里翁诗杰的言论，感到非常的不满。

拿督依不拉欣形容拿督斯里翁诗杰呼吁政府检讨公共服务局奖学金制度，是傲慢的行为，李伟杰针对此项言论发表文告予以反驳。

李伟杰表示，那些考获全A成绩及课外活动表现优异的学生，当他们被拒于奖学金名单之外时，他们将产生不管如何努力都是白费的想法。

“当优秀学生看到表现较差者却得到海外奖学金，他们将接受到一个错误讯息，即有关奖学金的遴选标准乃基于种族因素，而不是以绩效作为考量。”

也是马华新闻局主任的李伟杰指出，首相拿督斯里纳吉提出的“全民马来西亚”强调要更公平对待各族人民及没有人感觉被边缘化。基于此原则，公共服务局奖学金的遴选标准必须加入更多的绩效考量，而这也能够有效提升马来西亚整体国民的竞争力和生产力。

“更何况，土著学生拥有其它奖贷学金的申请管道，例如由人民信托局（玛拉）所提供者，大部分非土著学生都没有机会申请。事实上，大学预科班有90%的学生是土著。此外，玛拉工艺大学学生也由土著学生占了绝大多数，他们拥有许多机会申请提供他们到海外留学的奖贷学金，而这种机会是绝大部分非土著所无法享有的。”

马华对于一些马来组织指责政府对非马来人做出太多让步的说法，表示非常的遗憾。这类言论带有浓厚的种族歧视性质，并将挑起种族之间的紧张情绪。他们的极端言论不仅不利于国民团结，也是我国进步的绊脚石。

林吉祥只会呼吁国阵辞职，却不要求雪州行政议会为刘秀梅事件总辞

马华中央党部发言人李伟杰抨击林吉祥是一个不负责任及没有担当的反对党领袖，从政四十余年，只会千篇一律呼吁别人辞职，为反对而反对，自己却提不出任何具体的、建设性的解决方案。

李伟杰是针对林吉祥要求内阁总辞，以对公共服务局海外奖学金课题负责的言论，发表文告反驳。

李伟杰挑战林吉祥，早前民联雪兰莪州发生刘秀梅事件，口口声声要不分种族为全民斗争的民联，却以肤色作为雪州发展局总经理人选的考量，坚持不让非土著担任该职，林吉祥应该要求雪州大臣卡立和全体行政议员总辞，但是他没有这么做。

也是马华新闻局主任的李伟杰表示，要求内阁辞职根本无济于事，现在最重要的是能够马上及一劳永逸的解决问题。

“为了解决当前的问题，马华4名部长第一时间向首相纳吉汇报后，内阁认同必须全面检讨发放海外留学奖学金机制，并寻求一劳永逸解决问题的方案。”

李伟杰也强调，公共服务局海外奖学金依据4大类别来公平分配，这是内阁的议决，当局必须遵循有关标准进行遴选，如今发放奖学金的情况出现许多令人不满的现象，如果其中存在公务员法外立法、行政偏差的小拿破仑因素，政府必须对涉及官员采取严厉行动，以儆效尤。

李文材抹黑马华，却默认回教党宗教主义

马华中央党部发言人李伟杰抨击公正党副主席李文材趁机博宣传，在马华努力处理公共服务局奖学金的各种状况的时候，以冷眼旁观的心态抹黑马华。

李伟杰也质疑，之前回教党大力反对内阁针对改教课题的开明训令，声称巫统“出卖回教”，李文材以及他所属的公正党不发一言，默认回教党的宗教主义立场，如今他却对奖学金课题高调发言，这根本是一种双重标准。

也是马华中央新闻局主任的李伟杰表示，马华对于今年公共服务局海外奖学金发放标准的混淆和异常现象，也甚为不满。

“为了解决当前的问题，马华4名部长第一时间向首相纳吉汇报后，内阁认同必须全面检讨发放海外留学奖学金机制，并寻求一劳永逸解决问题的方案。”
李伟杰强调，既然内阁已经制定了一套奖学金遴选标准，当局就必须遵循有关标准加以落实，而内阁本身也必须确保官员真正执行其议决。

“马华对于发放奖学金事宜年复一年的出现问题，深表遗憾，若其中存在公务员法外立法、偏差行事的小拿破仑因素，政府也必须严惩涉及的官僚。”

RTM should revert the Mandarin news to 8.00 p.m.

MCA Spokesperson Sdr Lee Wei Kiat today criticized the announcement made by the Ministry of Information, Communications and Culture over the rescheduling of the Mandarin news time slot from 8:00 p.m. to 6.30p.m. “The revised time slot for the Mandarin news has inconvenienced viewers who tune into the Mandarin news and also affected the viewership ratings and image of RTM. The Information Ministry should revert the Mandarin news time slot to its previous prime time of 8 p.m.”

Wei Kiat who is also the MCA Information and Communications Bureau Chairman pointed out that the former to the current Ministers tasked with the Information Ministry, have made many schedule changes to the Mandarin news time slot which included the latest, slotting the Mandarin news to RTM 2 from RTM 1 at the new time of 12 noon till 12.30 pm for the afternoon edition and evening edition from 6.00 p.m. to 6.30 p.m. He also said that, “the latest changes in the time slot will confuse the viewers and make it difficult for them to get used to.”

“Furthermore, 6.30 p.m. to 7.00 p.m. is the time when working adults are on their way home while the housewives are busy preparing dinner for their families. If we were to broadcast Mandarin news at this time, it will only cause inconvenience and much unhappiness to the viewers who will not be in time to watch the news which will result in a plunge in viewership ratings. It will also affect the image and good name of the RTM. Thus, RTM should shift the Mandarin news time back to its former prime time slot of 8.00 pm,” he emphasized.

The MCA spokesperson also urged government departments to think twice before making any decisions especially on the broadcast of Mandarin news through the television stations.

“Mandarin news is the main source of information for the public and watching the news has become part of their daily activities. As a solution, the Ministry of Information, Communications and Culture should decide on a time that is most suitable the public in order to not only achieve its viewership target, but to generate a bigger audience.”

华语新闻时间不恰当，应调回黄金档

马华中央党部发言人李伟杰抨击新闻部最新宣布的华语新闻时段非常不恰当，将会为华裔观众带来不便，进而影响国营电视台的收视率及形象，因此新闻部应该将华语新闻时段恢复到黄金时段。

李伟杰指出，国营电视台的华语新闻时段从前任部长到现任部长上任为止，已经过数次调整，包括目前从第一电视调到第二电视中午12点至12点半以及傍晚6点半至7点，频频的更动让人无所适从，也容易产生混淆。

“此外，由于在6点半至7点这段时间，大部分的上班族都是在下班回家的路上，而家庭主妇则一般上正在为准备晚餐而忙碌，在这段时间播报新闻将导致他们无法收看新闻，引起许多的不便和反感，最终导致收视率的下降及影响国营电视台的形象。因此新闻部应该将华语新闻时段恢复到早前的黄金时段，即晚上8点。”

也是马华新闻局主任的李伟杰强调，政府部门在作出任何决定之前，应该深思熟虑，尤其是电视台的华语新闻是民众吸取时事资讯的主要管道，观看新闻报告已成为一般民众日常活动的一部分，新闻部应该把新闻播报定在方便人民的时间，才能真正达到传播资讯的目的。

达祖丁、纳兹里无的放矢，国阵须痛定思痛了解民怨

马华中央党部发言人李伟杰指出，在民主制度下，政府要求人民感恩是不合逻辑的，相反的是，国阵政府应该感谢选民一直以来的支持，让这个政治联盟得以执政马来西亚超过50年。

李伟杰强烈抨击巫统最高理事达祖丁和首相署部长纳兹里，在评论马华总会长拿督斯里翁诗杰的临时抱佛脚论时，根本是无的放矢。

李伟杰也强调，华裔先贤们飘洋过海来到这片国土后，在这里落地生根成为马来西亚的一分子，不仅凭着本身耐苦耐劳的拼搏精神在这里自力更生、白手兴家，更为国家的独立、建设、发展和繁荣作出了难以计数的奉献，因此华裔能够分享国家的经济蛋糕完全是理所当然，而不是来自任何人的施舍。

也是马华新闻局主任李伟杰重申马华总会长拿督斯里翁诗杰早前的论点，即华裔选民不支持国阵是不正确的，事实上，华社在1995、1999及2004年大选都给予了国阵支持。

“国阵的当务之急是探讨选民在最近的几场补选中不支持国阵的原因，而不是互相指责。马华将继续走入基层，以更深入的了解民怨，我们希望达祖丁和纳兹里也会这样做，因为巫统本身也必须检讨，为何有超过40%的马来人投票给反对党，包括在瓜登补选中华裔选民回流国阵，而更多的马来选民却倾向回教党。”

“我再次强调，总会长的临时抱佛脚论是摆事实讲道理，并不含有任何恶意，而是希望以此提醒所有的国阵领袖，包括马华本身，在连续的补选失利后必须痛定思痛，真诚的反省和检讨，切切实实的作出实质改革，而不是对选民或友党作出无谓的指责，因为容许我们挽回民心的时间已经不多了。”